The Valley Summer Fly
Words By: North 40 Outfitters
Posted: December 06, 2016

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To be frank, I cannot really take credit for designing this fly. As you can very well see, it has many similar parts and colors from other summer steelhead flies that have been created across the Pacific Northwest. Basically, I have combined the flossy "green butt" with the summer fly pink and purple body.

The fly pictured here leans more towards fully dressed, but could easily be minimized into a low water dressing if desired. The Pro Sportfisher American Possum wing has great natural iridescence in the water and swims nicely as well.

All of these colors are usually intended for days when the sun shines, so that the light highlights them in the water to attract the fish. I hope you enjoy!

This article is from our free North 40 Fly Shop eMag, to access the full 2016 October issue, click here.

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Tying Steps:

  1. Attach your thread. I like to start well behind the eye and advance forward to mark where the head should end. This helps me ensure I will not crowd the eye.
  2. Secure the tag of small oval tinsel. Three wraps of the tinsel is what you see here. Tie off and trim.
  3. Advance your thread to where you would like the floss tag to end. Secure the floss. Wrap back to the oval tinsel and forward again to the tie in point. This should give you a nice, even floss tag. Tie off and trim.
  4. Next, mount the Golden Pheasant crest as close to vertical as possible. Secure with a few loose wraps before tightening. This should help keep the tail upright and on top of the hook. I like the tail to be slightly shorter than the hook.
  5. Secure the medium oval tinsel.
  6. Begin dubbing your body. The dubbing here is dye hard dubbing which dubs nicely to thread. I like the look of equal parts pink, purple, black (a 1/3 each).
  7. Rib the body with the medium silver tinsel. I like five wraps. The center wrap should fall in the center of the purple section.
  8. Select a small clip of American Possum in white and orange. I like to leave the guard hairs left in but they can be removed for a cleaner look. Secure the white followed by orange. Keep in mind that four different colors will make up the wing, so only a quarter of a wing is necessary for each color.
  9. Next is the Golden pheasant tippet. I like to trim out the tip and direct the fibers opposite of their natural position, breaking up the barring. Tie in with a few loose wraps, slip to size and secure. Trim excess.
  10. Finish the stacked wing with purple followed by black American Opossum.
  11. Tie in the saddle hackle and fold with the traditional scissor folding method. Wrap and secure.
  12. Whip finish and varnish with head cement. Add as many coats as you like.

Material List For Tying The Valley Summer Fly

TAG: Small Veevus Oval tinsel Silver w/ Chartreuse Uni-Stretch

TAIL: Golden Pheasant Crest Dyed Red

BODY: Dye Hard Dubbing in Pink, Purple and Black (good substitutes would be Angora Goat or STS trilobal, whatever you prefer)

RIBBING: Medium Veevus Oval Tinsel Silver

WING: Pro Sportfisher American Opossum equal Parts White, Orange, Purple, and Black separated by a Natural Golden pheasant tippet.

HACKLE: Black Saddle

THREAD: Veevus 6/0

HOOK: Pictured here is an Alec Jackson #3. I like this fly as small as a #7 (our hook selection is here)